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On the news this morning there was a story about 20 University of Virginia students that have signed a petiiton to cancel Christmas!!??  O.K. let’s think about that.  What if we actually did cancel Christmas, not the celebration, but the actual event!!!  What would the result of that be?

 

We would all be sinners with no hope of escaping the penalty of eternal death, since there would never have been a Savior born to die for us, and offer us forgiveness for our sins!

 

Every December families would not gather to be together and celebrate the holiday, that didn’t exist.  December 25th would be just another cold winter’s day.

 

Can you imagine what a pagan holiday New Year’s Eve would have become, it’s bad enough now, imagine a world without hope!  (yes Michelle O.,
“that” really is a world without hope!!!)

 

Well snowflakes, I hope your parents, getting wind of this, will return your presents and not fix wonderful meals for you, and take down the Christmas Tree and  be surprised when you show up at home this week for “Christmas” break!

 

Maybe the University should just continue classes through December and into the spring, with no break!

 

I was young once, and I was stupid too, but eventually I grew up, and I pray the same for them!  Merry Christmas Cavaliers!  Seriously can we stop this madness!?

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other day a friend asked me what was the greatest Christmas gift I had ever recieved.  The answer came very quickly, the birth of my savior, Jesus Christ!!  Of course meeting and marrying Sherelene was an incredible event, but not actually a Christmas gift.  I started thinking about all the things I am very, very thankful for;  family friends, a measure of health, but true, deeply held friendships are way up on my list.  Friends like Don Nelson, Chuck Summers, Bill Pekala, Mark Kettenhofen and Dr. Charles Stanley are certainly great blessings, but I don’t get much time with them.  Homer, you are in a special catagory all your own, so you will be coming up soon!  Maybe the four people that I am closest to, on a daily basis, besides my immediate family, are Jim Haverstock, Carl Turner, Jack Graham and Jim Begley.  I want to take a moment to tell each of them why I value their friendship so much and extend to them a wish for a very Merry Christmas!!!

 

Jim and Sue Haverstock    Jim and Sue have become very close friends and a dear brother and sister in Christ.  Jim is one of the most selfless, giving and compassionate men I know.  He has been a great council for me, helping me keep on the straight and narrow path. Like many of my closest friends, tend to be, he and Sue are both exceptional photographers and truly love the craft.  I truly enjoy immensely going out and shooting with Jim, he a real pelasure to be around, and his laugh is infectious!!  It is rare that a day goes by that Jim and I don’t talk, it just makes my days better to hear his voice!

 

Jack Graham   Of all the things I’ve done in my career, I hold most dear the success I’ve had running workshops, and I feel  know a lot about that subject, enough to say that Jack Graham is probably the preeminent workshop provider in the field today!  His concern for his clients is amazing and he works tirelessly to see they get “more” than they paid for!  We have been friends for a long, long time.  He did his first workshop with me with the late Galen Rowell in the early ninties.  Jack was a big time professional musician playing with big names like Frank Sinatra!  He put that same effort into photogrpahy and has become one of the best out there today! Jack has become not only someone I admire, but someone I love very much, I’m thrilled we get to work together!  * Sorry Linda and Roscoe I didn’t have a picture of you guys with Jack, love you too!!!!  Merry Christmas Roscoe, I hope Santa brings you something cool!!!

 

Jim Begley   Jim Begley is one of the finest Christian men I know, he lives his faith and he is a joy to be around.  When Jim retired after 40 years working for the railroad, his wife was very excited to finally have a full time husband to travel and do all the things she missed out on while he was working.  Even though Jim helped me establish His Light Workshops it wa obvious that his time to travel at will was going to be reduced.  I was sad for us to go our seperate ways professionally, but I still consider Jim not only a very dear friend, but I hold him high as one of the best shooters I’ve ever had the pleasure, and honor, to work with.  Jim’s work still ranks up there among the best I’ve ever seen!!!

 

Carl and Monica Turner  Carl is a powerful believer and a great servant of God, Monica too!!!  I have leaned on Carl so many times for advice on a variety of subjects and we have a great on going friendship and brotherhood.  Carl is a very knowledgeable man on many subjects and has many friends and admirers, I’m thankful to be among those people he calls a friend!  I am very thankful everytime we get the chance to spend time together, he is real joy in my life!  I know one thing for sure, which ever one of us goes to be the the Lord first, the other will be waiting at the gate to be among the first to greet them!

 

So those are my greatest gifts, whether Chistmas or not,  my friends, family and His Boundless Love!

 

Blessings & Merry Christmas,

 

the pilgrim

 

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “My Grown-Up Christmas List”!

 

 

This is the most wonderful season of the year!  Please allow me to make a few suggestions that will make this your best Christmas ever!

 

Find someone in need and help them.  There are tons of orginizations that use this season to spread God’s love.  Toy drives, Christmas baskets collecting food for the needy, home visits for the elderly, even visitng the local shelter to volunteer.  The greatest joy of Christmas is giving, and it is never more satisfiying than when it is to those, truly in need!

 

Take time to relive the real Chrismas story.  Read the story of Christmas in Luke 2: 1-20.  Ponder the significance for all mankind that God sent His only Son to earth to teach us and die for our sins, no greater Gift  has ever been given.

 

Spend time with family.  If you are close to your family, break bread with them and enjoy all the great memories of Christmas’ past.  If  you are estranged from anyone, there is no better season for forgiveness and restablishing the love that was once part of your lives.  No hurt is so deep that God’s love and his Grace and Forgiveness can’t overcome it!  After all, that is why Christ came!

 

Take time to watch to very important Christmas films, It’s A Wonderful Life and your favorite version of A Christmas Carol.  May I recommend the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge, truly a classic!

 

On Christmas Eve read your children or grandchildren the story of Christmas in Luke and Twas The Night Before Christmas, hopefully around a roaring fire in the fireplace!

 

As family gathers, put on your portrait lens and sneak in some casual portraits of your family members.  Trust me these will someday be your most important images!

 

Surprise your spouse with something special she or he is not expecting and use it as a way to honor them and their contribution to your life and the life of your family.

 

Take time to privately worship the Man that the season is in honor of.  Ask Him to come into your heart and make you the man or woman you  know you “should” be!  If you ask He will!!!

 

Merry Chrismtas,

 

the pilglrim